What is Air Quality?

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Defining Air Quality                                                                      

Air quality refers to the condition of the outdoor ambient air that we are all exposed to in our every day lives. The term 'air quality' is often associated with odour problems, such as from landfill sites or sewage works. Of particular concern, however, are the levels of pollutant substances within the local air. In this sense, air quality relates to the levels of pollutants in the air and poor air quality means that the level of one or more of these pollutants is elevated and may cause harm to those exposed. We all need to breathe air to stay alive, but the quality of this air can have a major impact on our health. A recent Government report has shown that poor air quality is contributing to the premature deaths of up to 65 people a day - that's 24,000 people a year in the UK.

A New Threat to Air Quality

In many ways air quality in the United Kingdom has improved immensely since the infamous smogs of the 1950s.  One such episode in 1952 was claimed to be responsible for 12,000 premature deaths. Polluting emissions, attributable to both industrial and domestic coal burning, represented the main threat but since then legislation has been regularly introduced and reviewed to ensure their continual reduction. It is now increasingly apparent that whilst these sources of pollution have declined the continuing industrialisation of society, ever increasing energy usage and the huge rise in vehicular transport all pose a new threat to air quality and subsequently, to health and the environment.

Road Transport is threatening Air Quality

Local Air Pollution

Local air pollution is, as the name implies, air pollution which is attributable to local polluting sources. There are various other forms of air pollution each with differing implications for health and the environment. The problems resulting from them include Global Climate Change, Acid Rain and the deteriorating Ozone Layer. These are all well publicised today, but less well-known are the health effects resulting from local air pollution. This form of pollution impacts locally on the quality of the air that we all need to breathe. The greater the level of pollution and the longer it resides, the poorer the air quality. Unfortunately, just because the urban air is no longer visibly filled with black particles, associated with the infamous smogs of the past, it does not mean that there is no longer an air quality problem. Quite the opposite is true, as the harmful pollutants of today cannot often be seen or smelled.

Who should be Concerned about Air Quality?

The answer is simple: everyone should be concerned about the quality of the air we breathe. History records the appreciation of clean air associated with rural and coastal regions but unfortunately such regions, including Cleethorpes, are no longer exempt from the pollution that modern society imposes.